New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-09-26
TIE EX.PREsIDENTS LOT.

II has been lately shown that persons OF a
certain class find it hard TO believe that man
can honestly say he does not want to DC
President. But why not? Presidential am
hilton is common disease and there are
not many public men, perhaps, who are en-
tirely free from it, But is it inconceivaoio
that man may be eooI-hcaded enough to sec
that, even il he cou get the Office he might
he better off without it To quote one we'll
known example, Chief-Justicc Waite some
years ago put his foot down so hard on the
talk of making him candidate that it came
to an end forever The Chief-Justicc, to be
sure, had reasons and sound ones that do not
exist in the case of private citizen. But IL
is entirely credible that man might be de-
tered from thinking of the Presidency Dy
rejecting upon the burdensomcnoss OF the
office, and also upon the unfortunate situa-
ton In which a man finds himself when he
rctires from it.
The latter is The more powerful reason OF the
two, especially to man still In the prime
Of life. It is true that the labOrs and cares
of the Office are enough to tax the greatest
strength. On this point there has been a
steady series of complaints, at least from all
the recent Presidents. But men who would
not he in the least reluctant to assume these
for Che sake Of leaving pame on the roll OF
Presidents might easily be dismaycd By tho
Thought of the forced nactien, the sudden and
startling fall from power to obscurity, the
loss of popularity, that follow retirement
into private life If the truth were known
it would probably be found that more than
one ex President had died Of these things
rather than of his diseases. John Adams re-
ceived less than a hundred letters during the
entire year after he ceased to be President,
and wrote even fewer For man who Is the
" king in a dress coat OF great people ON
the third of March, to find himself the next
day without shred of power, without iniiu-
cnce, ignored perhaps hated and despised,-
this is ssdden change which the utmost
philosophy cannot always endure with com
posure. General Garfield used TO wish some
times that his nomination had come TO him
later in lfe Even il he had served through
two terms he would have found himself at
6ftv seven In the full pride of his strength,
both Of body and mind, and with no adequate
use for it
The fact il. il would be an act Of humanity
10 give our ey-Presidents something to do.
There il no law, 81 be sure, against their re-
entering public life, but circumstances are
usually against II. even if the eN-Presidents
sense Of dignity Is not Only two of them
John quincy Adams and Internationally re-
embarked upon public career, the ono in the
House and the other in the Senate. The rest
Of them have gone usually back TO their homes
L, rust out their lives, save for such occasional
public appearances, "a when Madison and
Monroe found themselves fe low-meinbers Of
constitutional convention in Virginia, or
when the venerable John Adams was elected
to q similar body in Massachusetts,, or when
John Tyler was president Of the Peace Con
vention, and at his death member OF the
Confederate Congress. Our cx-PIcsidents have
sometimes given admirable examples Of re.
publican simplicity. Mr. Monroe did not dis
dain to be justice of the peace, and Mr..
Hayes has faithfully performed the duties OF
romlmastcr But for the sake OF the country
as wei as of the men themselves. their ex-
perienee ought to be put 10 more distinguished
use II they could be made Senator's for LIE,
II would never seriously disturb the balance
Of the States. Just now there is only one
ex-Pmsident living.